One Gentle Thing
by whimsyfox
Summary: On holiday in Barry with her dad and smelly brothers, Alex hits it off with the weird bloke at the cafe. (even if he's not too sure) And so she leaves her number and waits for a call. (my interpretation of Alex being invited to the museum)


**Disclaimer: I own nothing. And all mistakes are my own. **

**Incredibly thankful beyond words for the world that Toby Whithouse has created. I still miss Being Human with an incalculable passion.**

**This is just a dabble that came to me re-watching S4E6 "Puppy Love". I was researching something for my ongoing Hal/Sylvie fic, but came to the scene when Alex leaves Tom her number and he promises to have Hal call her later. We never get to see that first call, only Hal's awkward call AFTER the museum. And so this is my interpretation.**

* * *

**One Gentle Thing**

Alex finished hanging up the last pair of socks to dry on the round clothes hanger over the sink. The whole caravan smelled like a combination of wet puppy and mud, in part thanks to that dip in the sea the other day, but mostly because that's what life with four smelly men was like. Looking over the collection of half empty mugs, toys, and shampoo on the table, she spotted her dad's bottle of aerosol deodorant and sprayed some into the air. Moderate improvement. She walked to the overstuffed chair she'd claimed as her little sanctuary, knelt to reach over the back and open a window, then plopped down with a sigh.

She tried to ignore her mobile, which was next to the mug holding her cosmetic brushes on the little table beside her. She'd been trying to ignore it the last two hours, but kept sneaking furtive glances at it. Daft mooning over that bloke from that cafe. He clearly had a weird vibe about him. But, she'd told herself after leaving with the teas, it wasn't weird in a Robert Downey Jr. in "Natural Born Killers" kind of way. More weird in a RDJ in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" kind of way. _Wouldn't mind some doing some kiss kiss bang banging with him at all... _He certainly was easy on the eyes, but more than that, there had been something sweet and awkward about him. Something she hadn't seen in any of the blokes she'd gotten off with lately. He was so unlike her burly da and her rowdy brothers - he didn't even like rugby for Christ's sake!

Noise from outside intruded in her thoughts. She could hear Decky and the lad from two caravans down fighting outside over Decky's game. She sighed, thinking she needed to go out there before it got out of hand.

Just as she was about to stand up her mobile rang.

Just as her mobile rang, Ryan popped his head through the caravan door.

"Hey sis!"

She signaled him with her finger for "one moment", then pressed 'accept' on her mobile screen.

"Hey ya?" She answered casually, in her usual manner, ignoring how her heart started racing.

There was a static-y kind of sound for a few seconds and indistinguishable whispers and grunts - _had someone butt dialed her? _- before she heard a distinct, "Tom give me the phone. Tom!"

Ahhh, the call she'd been waiting for. She smiled brightly. Her brother took that as an invitation and came to give her a hug.

"I love you sis!"

More static-y sounds and some banging - _were they fumbling around with the phone?_ - and then, "Only if you're gonna talk to her, Hal."

Sensing they could be a while, Alex pressed 'mute' on her screen, turning with a knowing look to her brother. "What do you want you numpty? Can't you see I'm on the phone?"

Ryan gave her a fake hurt look. "Awww sis, can't a brother just come show some love to his big sister?"

In her ear, Alex heard, "Tom, this isn't such a good idea. You truly don't know what I'm capable of."

She frowned as she absently answered Ryan, a mixture of exasperation and affection in her voice, "Bullshit. The last time you came to show me some love without wanting something you were five. You have two seconds to spill and get oot."

"Well," Ryan started, "There's this bloke I met down at the Pleasure Park. He said that tomorrow if I came round his shop..." his voice faded in and out of her consciousness as she tried to concentrate on the odd conversation happening on the other line.

"Hal, I told ya it's time you get back out there. Myriad years of self-control-"

"Enough!"

"And if you do start getting all fangy, I'll be there to make sure you start babbling about shields and playing with pheasants. Now let me talk before it gets all awkward."

"... and so it will only cost about 30 pounds. So can I? Huh?"

Alex frowned, her finger hovering over 'mute' as she tried to recall what Ryan had been saying. Something about Arsenal. It was always about Arsenal. _Jersey?_ Naw, that would cost more and he'd just gotten a new one. _Shorts? Cap?_

A business-like tone emanated from the phone, "Erm, hello, my name is Tom McNair. Is this Miss Alex of 141 276 1614 who came to the Café on the Corner earlier?"

Remembering the eager bloke with the bushy eyebrows she smiled, pressing the screen, "Yeh!" she said with a little more enthusiasm that was strictly called for. Muting herself again, she scrunched the phone up with her shoulder while she dug through her bag and found the money Ryan was asking for.

"I'm calling to invite you to the museum this evening. Not with me, obviously, with my mate Hal. And me and my girlfriend. Hal would ask you himself, but he's a bit shy and all..."

As she listened she handed the money to Ryan mouthing "bring me back the change" and shooed him away.

'Unmute'. "Did you say museum?"

"Yeah."

_Museum? How odd. _ Well maybe they just thought it was a good landmark to reference rather than give her complicated directions to a bar.

"Ok, sure. What time?"

The sound became muffled but she made out, "Great news Hal, she'll come to the museum. It's going to be brilliant! We'll have some supper before, so you'll be less tempted."

"It doesn't work that way, Tom." she could hear a big sigh from Hal.

Then an unmuffled Tom, "Ok, meetin up at 6."

"Sounds good!"

"Ok then! Erm, bye now."

"Bye." She started lowering her phone.

"Bye then."

"Yeh, I said bye already," she said in a louder tone.

As she fumbled to press 'end', the weirdness on the other end of the line continued.

"Tom, I'm relying on you to properly chaperone this venture. Don't leave us alone for even-"

"Hal, I got your back, remember? And I'm bringing Conan, he's my favourite. Wing man fist bump!"

"I don't fist bump."

'End'.

She raised her eyebrows at her mobile. _Fangy?_ _Shields and pheasants_? She shook her head. Must be English slang for snogging and shagging. _Years of self-control..._ maybe he'd gotten hurt in the past or he'd been doing some sort of new age cleanse. Well, she'd be gentle, ease him back into the game.

She smirked. _Still got it._

Outside, Decky was hollering at the other lad to stop pestering him and bugger off.

She stepped outside the caravan to break up the row between the two before it became a full fist fight. Same age as Decky but a couple stone smaller and sickly, the lad wouldn't last long. She was tempted to let Decky handle it - the little git acted the perfect angel around his mum, but Alex had seen how he tried to manipulate her little brother, putting on airs about having been promoted to a higher grade. But then she'd have to deal with the aftermath, seeing as her dad and Derek were nowhere in sight.

She pulled on their arms to get their attention, then putting her hands on her hips and staring the wee bugger down, she went full Scots on him. "Hey, dunderheed. Stap yer havering. Ye think yer so cannie but ye act like a dobber. If ye can't be civil to Decky, I'm gonnae wallap ye wan!" _Let's see if he's as smart as he thinks._ She could see the cogs turning, and he opened his mouth, but she raised an eyebrow at him till he finally skulked off. Once he was out of sight Decky turned to her, "Thanks sis. You're the best!" With a wink she ruffled his hair. "And don't you forget it!"

She went back inside and looked at the clock. Two hours. Just enough time to whip up some dinner for her dad and the boys, and get ready for her date. She rifled through her stuff to find her favourite bar wear - black top and shorts - and decided to add the hot pink cami, one of only two girly pink things she owned. Maybe Hal would feel more comfortable with a bit of girliness. The last time a boy had used a friend to ask her out she'd been 15. It was sweet, really. Hal seemed so different from all the men in her life.

She passed the pirate banners and looked around at the mess. Beer cans on the bookshelf, toy cars on the table, rugby gear everywhere. And it still smelled like wet puppy and mud. They'd gone fishing, done the arcades, adventure golf... and she'd promised Decky tomorrow she'd take him to the Pleasure Park. But finally she'd found one thing for herself on this holiday.

Something fun. Something good.

**One gentle thing.**

* * *

**One comment on the RDJ reference, his character in "Natural Born Killers" is sleazy and self serving while his character in "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang" is snarky yet awkward. Adds another layer beyond the obviousness of the titles. =D**


End file.
